Work with OY – Onboard
Onboarding
with intention
Ready to onboard OY? Start with this guide.
What happens after “You’re hired” can make or break the experience – for both your new hire and your team.
Great onboarding isn’t about paperwork. It’s about people. It’s your chance to say: “You belong here. We’re glad you came.”
Done well, onboarding Opportunity Youth (OY) inspires retention, performance, and long-term loyalty. Done poorly, it risks turning even the best hire into a quick loss.
We have best practices to help you build onboarding experiences that work for everyone in your company – especially for young people who are entering formal work for the first time.
Why it matters
Better onboarding doesn’t just support OY – it strengthens your whole workforce.
For OY, who may not have previous positive work experiences, onboarding is more than orientation. It’s a trust-building process. If your onboarding feels accessible, supportive, and well-structured, you won’t just keep new hires – you’ll build a stronger workplace culture across your organization.
Employers who invest in thoughtful onboarding report:
Reduced early turnover
Faster productivity
Increased employee confidence and morale
Higher engagement and team cohesion
Best practices
for onboarding Opportunity Youth
01
Start with a warm welcome
Day One matters. A simple plan can make a huge difference:
- Personal introductions to teammates
- A tour of the space
- A buddy to have lunch with
- A printed or shared schedule of the first week
- Clear guidance on where to go with questions
02
Use plain language and share clear expectations
Avoid assumptions. Break the job down step-by-step.
- Write out the role expectations in plain terms
- Explain the “why” behind tasks
- Define success milestones for Week One, Month One, and beyond
- Normalize questions – encourage them early and often
Tip: A shared week-by-week work plan helps both supervisor and OY stay aligned and confident.
03
Mentorship is the game-changer
Every new hire needs support. For OY, having a mentor can be transformational.
- Assign a mentor who is not their supervisor
- Set up regular check-ins for questions, feedback, and encouragement
- Use peer mentorship to build confidence and community
Success story
Newcomer talent thriving in a caring, professional environment
Firoza and Adila, two highly motivated newcomers from Afghanistan, have become valued members of the team at MCG Career College (MCG), a Calgary-based post-secondary institution offering medical and health-related programs.
Both were referred to MCG by the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS) after participating in CCIS’s employment programs, where they built resumes, practiced interview skills, and developed a strong understanding of the Canadian workplace.
Today, their professionalism and strong communication skills benefit MCG’s students every day. With their warmth and enthusiasm, they also represent the college at community events – a natural extension of MCG’s commitment to inclusion and care.
“MCG stands for Making Communities Great, which aligns perfectly with CCIS’s mission, and that is why we love working with them,” says Raisa Afrida, Director of Admissions and Marketing, MCG Career College. “Whenever I’m hiring, I always ask CCIS if they have someone who is a good fit. CCIS nurtures people to be successful.”
Why it worked: Opportunity Youth were well-prepared through community-based programming; the employer recognized the value of multilingual abilities; and the workplace culture genuinely supports the success of newcomers.
Whenever I’m hiring, I always ask CCIS if they have someone who is a good fit. CCIS nurtures people to be successful.
Raisa Afrida, Director of Admissions and Marketing, MCG Career College
Internal champions make the difference
Train your supervisors and frontline leaders. Their empathy, clarity, and consistency shape the experience.
Set them up to:
Lead with curiosity, not assumptions
Offer daily feedback at first, then taper
Create a welcoming environment – especially in early days
Be flexible when challenges arise
Remember: Many OY hires are navigating their new job, transit, home life, and other responsibilities all at once. A little grace goes a long way.
Design the process for everyone
Successful onboarding is inclusive onboarding. And the changes you make for OY benefit everyone else, too.
Clear role guides support all learners
Accessible formats meet diverse needs
(audio, visual, written)
Mentorship strengthens company-wide culture
Structured check-ins improve team communication
Build trust from the first interaction. Make your hiring process human.
Invest now. Benefit long-term.
Even a few hours of preparation can save weeks of training time – and lead to months, even years, of retained talent. When Opportunity Youth feel supported, they stay, they contribute, and they grow with you. This isn’t hand-holding – it’s leadership in action.
OY thrive when they feel:
Welcomed
Oriented
Supported
Seen
Ready to onboard for success?
Explore ways to inspire performance and long−loyalty.
At Rocky Mountain Solar Co., we’ve welcomed Opportunity Youth into entry-level solar labourer roles.
Many come to us with little or no experience, but the moment you speak to them, their eagerness to learn and their hunger for a chance shines through. With hands-on training in construction and tools, these young employees quickly grow – to become crew leads or follow a technical path toward becoming electricians.
As a young, growing company with a welcoming culture, we’ve committed to promoting from within. The reward? We get to play a part in launching someone’s career, especially those who have struggled to break into the workforce. What stands out most is their resilience, adaptability, and loyalty. When welcomed in, they stay, grow, and flourish.”
Asia Penner, Human Resources Coordinator,
Rocky Mountain Solar Co.
Retention is the game changer.
You’ve made the effort to attract and onboard effectively. Keeping the employee you’ve invested in makes sense for them – and your organization.
